Stories

"I was confronted with my own body in a society that teaches us to hide and disconnect. ...and there was some real power in this."

Danielle gets the low down on first time menstrual cup encounters - on surfing the crimson wave the new way. Importantly, she answers, how the f** do you get it in?!”

Am I the only one who thought their already-short life was about to end when they got their first period? It’s coming up to thirteen years ago when ten-year-old me woke up in what seemed like a pool of my own blood; and, it’s safe to say that navigating the crimson wave on the surfboard that is a menstrual pad hasn’t been easy since.

Wā Collective's new writer, Katie, shares her personal story with Endometriosis, painful periods and perspective from a gender studies honour student. "I’m passionate about discussing topics that society tells us we shouldn’t be talking about, like menstruation, sex and women’s health issues. To be honest, if someone tells me I shouldn’t be talking about my ‘feminine woes’, it just makes me want to talk about it even more as a big fuck you to the patriarchy."

Period poverty in New Zealand bleeds under the radar. The wildly harmful taboos surrounding periods prevent any opportunity for discussion. 

That’s the other great thing about cups— adaptable is their middle name! I went back to my tent to hang out with my man crew with no waste, no awkward hiding (it shouldn’t be awkward, but sometimes it just is) of used/leaking/smelly tampons and the security of knowing I was sorted until the morning.